


Good to be Bad

by FicsByMaria



Category: Batman - All Media Types, Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: F/M, M/M, Seduction, Sexual Content, Stray!Tim, Villain!Ladybug, mild violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-26
Updated: 2020-01-06
Packaged: 2021-02-26 09:49:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 3,198
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21967360
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FicsByMaria/pseuds/FicsByMaria
Summary: A bet between the most powerful crime boss in Gotham and his second in command. The bet? Can the savior of Paris, Ladybug, be seduced to the dark side within 2 months.
Relationships: Jason Todd/Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Tim Drake/Jason Todd, Tim Drake/Jason Todd/Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Tim Drake/Marinette Dupain-Cheng
Comments: 27
Kudos: 288





	1. Chapter 1

“Bug out!”

The video ended there, the girl in red swinging away. Jason looked at his boyfriend quizzically.

“So why should I care about some random superhero?”

“Well..” Tim drawled, “I think she’s very cute, and oh so talented.”

“Should I be worried pussy cat?”

“ Terrified. I want to add her to my little collection. And I know she’s your type. So I propose this, a game if you will, we spend a limited time in Paris. If we can corrupt the Bug we get to keep her. If not… I’ll get you anything you want.”

“And if that’s-“

“Bruce’s head mounted next to the Joker’s? Yes.”

“Deal, we’ll be in Paris for two months. What makes you so sure that you can corrupt our little hero?”

“She’s been fighting for 9 years, with no progress. There’s only so long someone can play nice before they start to crack.”

Jason pulled the smaller man into his lap and nuzzled into his neck, talking against the faded marks there, “You’re so smart babe, what would I do without you?”

Tim smirked and trailed a nail down Jason's jaw, and purred “I don't know, but I can think of a few things you can do with me.”

——————

Marinette sighed and sank down the kitchen wall, burying her head in her hands and ignoring the hum of the microwave. She was so tired, she felt it in her bones, in her blood. The exhaustion was all consuming and permeated every part of her life, from her ongoing battle with Hawkmoth to the rush of life as a designer for a plethora of wealthy and famous clients.

If someone had told her at 13 that she’d get her dream, but she’d still be fighting Hawkmoth at the age of 22, she's not sure what she'd have done. Probably combusted from excitement or sank into despair. If there had been only Ladybug or only Marinette she's not sure if she'd ever get out of bed at all, but they balanced each other out, to an extent. It was all becoming a bit too much, maybe it was time to at least get a secretary, she certainly had the money.

Marinette stood up and retrieved her microwaved dinner, walking over to her computer to draft an ad. She was pleasantly surprised to get an email about two hours later from one Timothy Drake.


	2. Chapter 2

“Got everything?”

“Yeah I’ve got this.”

“Run through it for me then.”

“Always the details with you, fine. It’s always been my dream to move to Paris, you are my fiancé and we finally saved up to move into a small apartment in the 16th arrondissement, across the Seine from where Marinette lives in the 15th. We met in college at Gotham University, you were working on your Administrative Assistance and Secretarial Science degree, while I was an English major. We met in the Library when you spilled your iced coffee on my copy of The Picture of Dorian Gray. I dropped out to support you after a falling out with your father caused him to stop funding your college. That everything?”

“Yep, you're a perfect actor. Make sure to set up my computer at the apartment, I have a meeting with my new boss.”

—

Marinette sat at the cafe table and nibbled at her scone, leg nervously bouncing as she waited. She was facing away from the door because she knew herself and if she’d been facing the door she’d have been looking up every three seconds. The downside was that she didn’t see the -objectively gorgeous- man until he sat down across from her, smiling softly.

“Timothy Drake, a pleasure to meet you Ms. DC”

“Oh! Hi, sorry it’s been a long week.”

He quirked an eyebrow, amusement playing on his features, “It’s Monday.”

“It is? Yikes.”

“Well, I hope I can help with relieving some of your stress Miss.”

“Please, call me Marinette,” she smiled at him, “I don’t really do formalities, side effect of working with rock stars.”

They’d already discussed the details of the job over email, so the meeting was a social affair if anything, but Marinette was a bit distracted by Timothy’s little touches, a brush of the fingers, their knees knocking together, a subtle motion that left his hand on her forearm. She stared at his hand during the last one, and he recoiled guiltily. 

“Sorry about that, my fiancé says I don’t have the greatest concept of personal space, if I ever make you uncomfortable, please let me know.”

Something in Marinette deflates, she’s been alone for so long now, human contact outside of business is scarce and she’s a bit concerned to realize that this man she’s only known for a week had found a place in her heart already. 

As she bids him farewell and makes her way back to her apartment she sighs. Timothy was gorgeous in a graceful way, an androgynous beauty to him. It’s impossible in every way, he is engaged and she is his boss, she would never take advantage of her power over someone, but there is a part of her mourning what could never have been.


	3. Chapter 3

She’s on patrol when the alarm at a small art gallery goes off a block away from her. She’s on the roof of the shop when she’s knocked off her feet by a shadow. She’s trying to regain her bearings when the most pleasant voice she has ever heard speaks.

“Now what have I caught?” The voice was a playful purr, smooth and deep, it reminded her of how siren songs were described in mythology.

“Who the hell are you?” She packs all her frustration into those words, giving the shadow a glare. Not an akuma, those were never this subtle, but still not a normal Parisian criminal. 

“Me?” He stepped out of the shadows, allowing the heroine to see him for the first time, “I’m Stray, I’ll be disappointed if my reputation doesn't precede me.”

Her breath caught in her throat, she knew who he was, but how much he looked like Chat Noir hit her hard, and sent her spiraling into her worst memories.

-

_She had brought an orange tulip to his grave, his favorite flower. Gabriel stood next to her, the air heavy between them._

_“Do you have it?”_

_“No. I buried it with him. I can't go on, and not just because the Miraculous was taken. I was a bad father, but it was never my intention to be cruel.”_

_“Does your little protege know that the ring is now unobtainable?”_

_“I don't think she'd care. She didn't have a wish, only a desire to be rid of you. The hit that killed him was meant for you.” Bitterness tinged his words, and she understood, it was because of her that Adrien was dead._

_“I know, and I wish he hadn't been so dedicated to protecting me.”_

_Gabriel sighed, the once mighty man humbled._

_“I can’t hate you. Lord knows I’ve tried. You made him happier than I ever could, and you’re sparing me now, even if I don’t deserve it. I am in your debt.”_

_“Just go to therapy Gabriel, don’t fuck up your second chance.”_

_She left the graveyard, managing to make it to the church bell tower before she broke down into tears._

-

“You broke her. Stray you said two sentences to her and already broke her, wow.” The addition of a new voice ripped her from the vortex of memories and jolted her back into the present. A new figure, a larger man in a leather jacket and helmet, was standing at Stray’s side.

“So to what pleasure do I owe the crime bosses of Gotham visiting **my** city?” She manages to hiss out, readjusting her position to be able to retreat at any sign of motion. Everyone knew that Red Hood didn’t exactly fight fair.

“We happen to be here for business, but now I might just stay if you keep directing your sharp words at me.” Stray’s tone was far too casual to be accompanied by the look he gave her and the words he said. He stepped away from Red Hood, sauntering over to her. He looked down at her, smirking, before lightly gripping her chin and tilting it upwards. Rooted to the spot and staring into Stray’s eyes, she didn’t notice that Red Hood had moved until she felt his words against her ear, making the hair on the back of her neck stand on end.

“Gorgeous and mean aren't you, princess? I wonder what else that wicked mouth of yours can do.”

It was then that Marinette stopped functioning altogether, luckily for her, Red Hood had stepped out of her space, allowing her to use her yoyo to grapple onto the adjacent building and disappear for the night. She had some choices to reconsider and a very, very cold shower to take.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm an angst writer first and a person second


	4. Chapter 4

The brick dug into her back, but she didn’t care. She was too focused on the hands in her hair, the softness of his lips, the words being murmured in her ear, the chime of a bell- there chime of a bell!

Marinette woke suddenly to her phone going off. It was 7:45, which meant she had 15 minutes to pull herself together before Timothy showed up. 

At exactly 8 there was a knock at the door before it was opened. Marinette was standing in the kitchen, waiting for her coffee to brew.

“Good morning Ms. DC, I brought breakfast.” He set down the bag on the counter.

“Please just call me Marinette and I’ll just call you Tim, formal stuff makes me feel old.”

He cast a smile at her before moving to the table to set up his laptop. As she was pouring herself a cup of coffee he took the opportunity to take a picture of her outfit and sent it to Jason. The look was undeniably Red Hood inspired, from the black and red camouflage cargo pants to the leather jacket and completed with a red bandanna around her hair. He wished he could see Jason’s reaction, but he had things to get done.

“So today it says you should finalize the details on X’s design. Who is X?”

“What color is it in?”

“Bright green.”

“Oh. That'd be Lex Luthor, sorry about my shorthand.”

“It’s alright, I’m more concerned about the all day appointment tomorrow that just says ‘bastard brunch’” Marinette flinched and spilled some of her coffee.

“That’s tomorrow?? Tomorrow is the 16th?”

“Yes, what’s wrong?”

“Time is just.. getting away from me I guess. Congratulations, you can either have the day off tomorrow or come meet the world’s worst father.”

“I thought your dad was the nice baker?”

“Oh, he's not my father. He was my best friend's.”

“I'm sorry to hear that, but I'm afraid I already know two pretty terrible fathers, so I doubt this guy could be any worse.”

She hit him with an icy glare that had a chill running down his spine before she went back to staring into her coffee.

“Take the day off, go do something touristy with your fiancé.”

He couldn’t help but notice that over the three days that he’d worked for her that she used that word often, like she was reminding herself of something.

-

“So how was work?”

“Did you know that our designer does commissions for supervillains? Because I certainly didn’t.”

“What? Like who?”

“Lex Luthor apparently. I got a look at the designs too, there's going to be kryptonite and kevlar woven into the suit itself.”

“Whoa. Do you think she knows?”

“Probably not? No idea, it wasn't labeled as kryptonite in the notes but it couldn't be anything else.”

Tim curled into his boyfriend’s side, sighing. “We’re not going out tonight, she’s got some meeting tomorrow that’s gonna be rough on her I think.”

“Really? With who? Chat Noir’s dad I assume, which has got to be Gabriel Agreste. I can’t figure out why she hates him, so that’s gonna bother me forever.”

“You overthink everything. But enough about that, let’s talk about me.”

Tim laughed and elbowed him in the ribs, rolling out of his embrace.

“Oh yeah? What did you think of her outfit?”

“She was just breathtaking, pretty sure it made me experience a new emotion.”

“What, you discover horny 2?”

“I am going to beat you to death.”

“Do it, you won't, I'm the only thing standing between you and tax evasion charges.”

“Ah yes, that's why I keep you around, tax reasons. You're such a dork, I love you.”


	5. Chapter 5

Gabriel Agreste was many things, but blind was not one of them. A year and a half ago he had first met MDC and one thing was abundantly clear, she and Ladybug were one in the same. MDC had bought Gabriel. An honest to god upstart designer had bought his company and didn’t even have the decency to force him out. He worked for her now, running the public side of MDC.

“Marinette.” 

“Gabriel.”

Such was their ritual. On the 16th of every month they met for brunch. Some of it was business, some of it was simply company with the only other person who knew. 

“Luthor likes the suit, thank you for your idea.”

“Marinette, credit where it is due, Luthor would have liked anything you designed, I just made it more functional.”

“I assume you’ll handle the shipment? I don’t think customs is going to appreciate ‘experimental materials’”

“I’ll make sure everything is straightened out.”

“Did you know Paris is playing host to two of Gotham’s rogues?”

“Is it?”

“Two of the fashionably bearable at least, I had a run in with Red Hood and Stray the other night.”

Gabriel stayed silent, watching the woman pace in front of the window. He knew not to interrupt her thinking. Just as the clock chimed 12, she turned to look at him and spoke, “I have fabric shopping to get done, remember, no matter what these Gothamites threaten, we pay protection to The Crows for a reason.”

Marinette left and Gabriel finally sunk into a chair, fingertips pressing at his temples. Dealing with the new criminal underworld that had cropped up in Paris was a pain. They called themselves The Crows, some nonsense about the bird being a predator of ladybugs, and had been breathing down the neck of any successful business in the city. Neither the police nor Ladybug could reign them in, but they were stable for the most part, if Gotham’s crime bosses were going to come in and stir up trouble then it was going to be a bloodbath.

—

Tim was frustrated. He'd known there was some criminal underworld in Paris, but he hadn't known it was quite so extensive or powerful. So now he found himself face to face with the elusive leader of The Crows, naturally.

“Hello Stray. I see you're burning one of your nine lives to make it here. Brave.”

“You know that cats eat birds, right?”

“There hasn't been a cat in this city for years, and we intend to keep it that way.”

The leader always spoke like that, referring to the gang as a whole. From what he could tell the leader was a slight woman, but no other information could be gleaned. Her face was covered by a black plague doctor mask and she was covered completely by her dark outfit. In a way she did resemble a bird, especially with the feathers that adorned her ensemble, but there was a hint of gold along the seam of one of her gloves, probably a concealed weapon if he had to guess.

“Well Miss Crow, this is fun, but not how I wanted to spend my night. Don't you have a bug to catch?”

“Why would we bother? She's not exactly hard to find, and she's surely distracted with her current project.”

The tone of her voice chilled Stray’s blood, this woman knew Ladybug’s identity, she knew and that terrified him. Sure he and Jason knew, but in the end they'd never use that against Marinette. He got the feeling that The Crows had no such morals. He felt the heat of the brand before he was told about it, and didn't really listen to the purpose, he was far too distracted by the searing pain behind his ear. The next thing he knew, his restraints were cut and the warehouse was once again abandoned.


	6. Chapter 6

“This is MDC’s direct number, may I ask who’s calling?” Tim is answering the phone while Marinette is fully occupied with sewing tiny kryptonite beads into an intricate pattern on the lapels of a dark grey jacket.

“I have to speak with Marinette.” A woman’s accented voice, impatient.

“Ma'am, please if you could just give your name I’ll have her contact you once she’s available.” 

“Put me on speaker.” Tim sighs, complying. He’s played retail employee enough to know there was no winning here. The woman speaks in rapid Arabic and Tim is shocked by how Marinette’s head snaps up from her work, eyes wild. Tim’s Arabic is shaky at best, but he catches the sentence ‘He will be turning twelve’ before Marinette frantically ties off the thread she was holding and snatches the phone from him.

She takes the rest of the call on the balcony and he can’t catch any of the rest of the conversation, she was oddly careful about making sure none of the call could be overheard or lip read. 

—

Jason was livid, these bastards had the nerve to brand Tim and expect to get away with it. The green fog in his mind sang the song of bloodshed, demanded retribution. He was following the leader of the Crows, trailing her through back alleys and slowly creeping closer to where Tim was trailing Ladybug’s patrol route. Jason's heart jumped into his throat as he watched the woman scale a fire escape and crouch on a rooftop that was adjacent to one Ladybug would be passing within the next few minutes. Red Hood took up a position on the edge of the rooftop, watching the figure.

The figure made a sudden movement and a hand shot out, roughly shoving him to the ground. Barely a second later the gunshot rang out and he saw Ladybug stumble back. Two more bullets hit her before she launched herself onto the opposing roof and kicked her assailant square in the face.

Stray landed next to Jason, eyes locked onto the fight. He was clearly analyzing every move that either of them made, but something was off. And then he’s hissing through his teeth, strained and frantic whispers.

“We have to get out of here. Now.”

“What?”

“This is a staged fight, they knew we were there, we need to leave.”

When they’re back in the safe house Jason unceremoniously drops his helmet to the floor. Tim is berating himself, he’d seen the Bats do similar things, he should have known, he should have been perfect. He sinks to the floor and just stares into the distance, managing one statement before devolving into incoherence.

“Jason? The lead Crow has white hair.”


End file.
